Travel Tramp News Updates

Discover the story of the Hejaz Railway, an audacious Ottoman-era plan to unite the Middle East, and how it could soon be resurrected. The Hejaz Railway was the most ambitious engineering project the Ottoman Empire ever embarked on. Intended to link Constantinople—modern-day Istanbul—to the holy city of Mecca, in what’s… Read more »

Discover the complex history of Amman, as I embark on a foodie tour of the Jordanian capital with Omar from 3J Expeditions. Welcome to Amman, Jordan, a city where history, identity, politics and cuisine intertwine like no other city I’ve visited in the world. I recently returned from a two-week… Read more »

Discover the curious case of Bir Tawil, a trapezoid of land in the Nubian Desert between Egypt and Sudan that could be the world’s last ‘Terra Nullius’. The Egyptian-Sudanese border is a geopolitical anomaly, filled with territorial disputes, shifting allegiances, and historical complexity. Among its oddities, one place stands out:… Read more »

Discover the unusual case of Puntland, a Somalian breakaway territory that hit the headlines thanks to none other than Donald Trump (who else?). The world is filled with contested borders, breakaway states and geopolitical oddities. For those of you intrigued by international politics, you’ll be happy to hear that this… Read more »

From Babylonian boundary stones to the extensive engineering works of the Roman Empire; here are 10 ancient borders that shaped the world. Borders are a constant in human history. The human story is one of boundaries. Of division. Of a search for definition and identity. Modern borders between nation-states might… Read more »

Join my quest to understand the world through its borders and boundaries. Sign up for my brand new BORDERLINES Newsletter and follow the journey. NEWSLETTER SIGN UP SUBSTACK SIGNUP Welcome to Borderlines! This blog, Travel Tramp, is now almost ten years old. A decade ago, I founded this website as… Read more »

The Path of the Gods is one of Italy’s most renowned hiking trails, offering an unparalleled way to escape the crowds along the busy Amalfi Coast. Winding through mountains and along clifftops, the trail is steeped in natural beauty and packed with history. Traverse this historic path and you’ll be… Read more »

From Abbasid souqs and holy Shia shrines to the Iraq Museum and riverfront restaurants; here are the best things to do in Baghdad, Iraq. “I have seen the greatest of cities that are known for their perfection and refinement, in the lands of Syria and the Greeks and other countries, but I have never… Read more »

From the winding roads of the Peloponnese to the rocky shores of Crete, here’s everything you need to know about renting a car in Greece! The best way to explore the sun-kissed islands and rocky coastline of Greece is on a self-drive tour. Skip the public transportation, rent a car… Read more »

On the banks of the Euphrates River in Iraq, a crumbling palace stands as a forlorn memento to the demise of a dictator. Here’s an inside look at Saddam Hussein’s abandoned Babylonian palace. “My legs were shaking. I was so nervous,” Maki Mohammed recounted with a shy smile as we… Read more »